National Council

Mike Thomsen was born and raised in Castro Valley, CA before attending the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. During his years at USC, he immersed himself in many different aspects of campus life (although never athletics…). In addition to contributing to Delta Omicron Zeta, he was also involved in a professional business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, in which he served as his Pledge Class President as well as the Vice President – Professional Activities, Vice President – Pledge Education, Historian, and President of his chapter. He also served as Director of Marketing and Vice President – Communications in the Marshall Business Student Government.

Mike also attained a minor in theatre during his time at USC and participated in USC DiSChord, an a cappella group, and Commedus Interruptus, USC’s premier improv and sketch comedy troupe, in which he served as President and Director. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2009. In addition to being a leader, Mike is also an actor, singer/songwriter, golfer, and bowler, but also enjoys spending time with friends and family.

He currently lives in Los Angeles and works as a consultant for Deloitte & Touche, LLP. Mike first served as Delta Omicron Zeta’s Director of External Relations and is now serving as the National Chairman of Delta Omicron Zeta.

Christopher Cass spent much of his time as an undergraduate as a Midshipman in the Navy ROTC seeking to enter the Special Warfare Community as an officer upon graduation, and he is currently training to become a Navy Seal.

>He considers himself the adventurous type, and he loves the outdoors. He became the fraternity’s first Co-Director of Membership and now serves as the national VP of Alumni Relations.

“I never set out to be a leader per se. I’ve always been a doer. It’s only recently I’ve realized doers
often become leaders naturally and that I have a responsibility to take ownership for that.”

During her time at USC, Raquel Lucente worked extensively with the Joint Educational Project, a non-profit service-learning organization that places university students in K-12 local schools to teach the topics of their university courses. She oversaw 30 Program Assistants as the Program Assistant Coordinator, and also served as a board member to the Undergraduate Student Government’s Philanthropy Funding Board. Raquel was also a Resident Advisor for two years.

Raquel is currently a 2008 Teach for America Corps Member in the Bay Area Region. She teaches fourth grade in East San Jose at Anne Darling Elementary School and works on Teach for America staff as a Phone Selector in Admissions. Raquel also works as a Curriculum Developer for Rocketship Education, a charter school whose California Standards Test results were the third highest in the state of California.

She hopes to eventually go to law school and become an education lawmaker in the California legislature. Raquel was DOZ’s Director of Recruitment, and along with Chris Cass, Co-Director of Membership.

During his college career Jeff was involved in numerous organizations on USC’s campus. Jeff re-founded Phi Delta Theta fraternity on campus, and as philanthropy chair, raised more than $635,000 for the ALS Association. He was also the Assistant Director of the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly, a USC Global Fellow, sat on the USC Discretionary Board, and on the executive board of Troy Philippines. Jeff has started a culinary tourism business in Los Angeles, called Six Taste. His business takes customers through neighborhoods in Los Angeles and allows them to sample food at several restaurants while also learning about the history of the area.

Jeff was Delta Omicron Zeta’s first Director of Communications and Treasurer. He now serves as the VP of Finance for the National Fraternity.

Kristen Priddy was involved in numerous women’s groups and organizations, including the Women’s Leadership Council, Feminist Majority Leadership Council, and the Clothesline Project. She was very active in the Women’s Student Assembly where she served as the Publicity Director, Assistant Director, and eventually Executive Director. Also under WSA, she headed Take Back the Night, an event-based campaign aimed at supporting victims and educating the community about sexual violence. For her dedication to this organization she was named USG Program Board Director of the Year (2008-2009).

Kristen also held membership in a national PHC sorority, Delta Delta Delta, where she acted as Diversity Chair and Vice President of Administration. Kristen graduated from USC in 2009 with degrees in English and International Relations. Kristen currently resides in San Francisco where she is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Advertising from the Academy of Art University and is working for a progressive social marketing agency.

Kristen was Director of Rituals for Delta Omicron Zeta’s first semester, and now serves as the VP of Operations.

Max Slavkin grew up in Los Angeles and went to USC to pursue a major in Political Science and a minor in Jazz Studies playing the saxophone. After getting involved with Building Government and the Emerging Leaders Program, Max became very involved with the Undergraduate Student Government where he served as a Residential Senator, Speaker Pro Tempore, and Student Body Vice President. He helped to create Delta Omicron Zeta and Society 53, USC’s Student Alumni Association and was recognized as a member of Order of the Torch and Mr. USC in 2008-2009.

Max is now living in New York City pursuing a Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs – a full-time, nine month, graduate-level experiential leadership training program that prepares diverse, intelligent and committed individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public affairs arena.

He was Delta Omicron Zeta’s first Director of Internal Relations and now serves as the VP of Chapter Education.

Miya Williams graduated Cum Laude in May 2008 with a B.A. in Print Journalism and minors in Communication and the Entertainment Industry and Sociology. While at USC, she served as president of the Annenberg Black Student Association, co-managing editor of Black Voices Newspaper, second vice president and publicity director of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Upsilon chapter, and was involved with Sisters in Spirit, the National Pan Hellenic Council and Diversity Recruitment Leaders. Miya also worked in the USC Annenberg Admissions office and was a staff writer for the USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Diversity.

After graduation, Miya worked in the communications department at Disney Consumer Products and now works for Bender/Helper Impact, a public relations agency, as an account coordinator on the Fox/MGM Home Entertainment account. She also freelances articles for the USC Trojan Family Magazine.

Miya is currently a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.’s Los Angeles Alumnae chapter where she participates in Delta Gems, mentoring young ladies matriculating through high school. She also volunteers with the Urban Media Foundation helping to teach minority youth journalism skills and serves on the executive board of the Black Journalists Association of Southern California. She was Delta Omicron Zeta’s first Director of Programming and now serves as VP of Publicity.